IAMC Weekly India Human Rights Monitor (July 20, 2025)

This Week at a Glance 

This week, Assam police killed two Muslim men during an eviction drive, while 444 migrant workers were detained in Odisha. In New York, Mayor Adams pulled out of an event with Hindu nationalist Kajal Shingala. The UCC condemned violence against minorities in India, and an Australian study revealed links between diaspora Hindu groups and India’s far-right. India also deployed 20,000 more troops to Kashmir and revised textbooks to demonize Muslim rulers and promote Hindu texts. On the US front, IAMC held a Congressional Briefing featuring two representatives from the United Nations on Capitol Hill, gathered key civil society and interfaith groups in North Carolina to condemn hate speaker Kajal Singhala’s visit to North Carolina in an open letter, and signed off on a statement slamming NYC Mayor Eric Adams for accepting an invitation to join an event with Singhala in New York.

Top Stories

United Church of Christ Passes Unanimous Resolution Condemning Violence Against Minorities in India

In a powerful expression of solidarity, the Thirty-Fifth General Synod of the United Church of Christ (UCC), representing thousands of churches, has passed a landmark resolution condemning the escalating violence and persecution faced by religious minorities in India. The resolution highlights growing concerns over the deteriorating conditions for India’s Christians, Muslims, and indigenous groups.

UN Special Rapporteurs, Freedom House, USCIRF Call on US to Designate India as Country of Particular Concern

Senior officials from the United Nations and United States, along with leading human rights experts, urged the US government to designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over serious and ongoing violations of human rights and religious freedoms. The call was made during a Congressional Briefing on Capitol Hill on Thursday, July 17, attended by over 100 congressional staffers.

Australia Study Exposes Hidden Network of Diasporic Hindu Far-Right

A new study finds that diaspora groups in Australia such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of Australia and Hindu Council of Australia, are linked to India’s Hindu nationalist network, led by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. While presenting themselves as cultural and community organisations, they quietly support the global spread of Hindutva, raising concerns over public funding and unchecked far-right influence in liberal democracies.

Two Muslims Killed as Police Open Fire During Assam Eviction Drive

Two Muslim men were killed and several others injured after police opened fire during a violent eviction drive in Assam’s Goalpara district. The clash broke out as authorities attempted to clear over 140 hectares of land in the Paikan Reserve Forest, displacing long-settled Bengali-origin Muslim families. At least five eviction drives across four Assam districts in the past month have displaced nearly 3,500 families.

(Indian Army/ Meta)

India to Deploy 20,000 More Military Troops to Kashmir

The Indian government has approved the deployment of over 20,000 additional Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in Jammu and Kashmir, authorizing the creation of 20 new battalions, citing counterterror needs. The move raises concerns as Kashmir remains the most heavily militarized zone in the world, with estimates ranging from 500,000 to 700,000 Indian troops stationed in the region.

Textbook Revision Demonizes Muslim Emperors, Adds Hindu Epics to Curriculum

A newly revised textbook by India’s federal education agency inaccurately paints the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal era as periods of “religious intolerance,” describing Babur as “brutal” and Aurangzeb as a destroyer of temples and gurdwaras. Additionally, the Uttarakhand government has introduced Hindu religious scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana into the school curriculum, signalling a major ideological shift in education.

Hate crimes and discrimination in India

This week, an investigation revealed how cow protection groups in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana violently attack mostly Muslim truck drivers, often with apparent police complicity and political backing. In Chhattisgarh, nine Muslim migrant workers from Bengal were detained without explanation and opposition leaders have called it a case of “state-sponsored kidnapping.” In Maharashtra, hundreds of churches in tribal areas face demolition after being deemed “unauthorised,” while in Bihar, a journalist, Ajit Anjum, was booked for reporting on electoral irregularities, highlighting growing threats to press freedom.

Resistance & Organizing

(Office of the Mayor)

NYC Mayor Withdraws from Event Featuring Hindu Nationalist Orator

After facing pressure from American civil society groups – including IAMC, Hindus for Human Rights, Sikh Coalition, and several others – New York City Mayor Eric Adams pulled out of an event honoring Kajal Shingala, a far-right Hindu activist known for anti-Muslim hate speech. Shingala, who is touring the U.S., has advocated violence and economic boycotts against Muslims, raising alarm among interfaith and civil rights groups.

Muslim Women Lead Mass Protest Against Waqf Amendment in Kerala

Muslim women’s groups under the All India Muslim Personal Law Board held a large rally in Ernakulam demanding repeal of the Waqf Amendment Act, calling it a threat to minority rights and constitutional autonomy. Lawmaker Iqra Hasan warned the law hands sweeping powers to the central government, undermining community-run welfare systems and setting a dangerous precedent.

Families of Mumbai Train Blast Accused Speak Out on 19th Anniversary

At an event titled “Behind Bars and Beyond” in Mumbai, families of the men convicted in the 2006 train blasts shared their ongoing struggles, maintaining their loved ones were wrongfully imprisoned after a biased investigation. Organized by the Innocence Network, the gathering honoured both the victims of the blasts and the lives upended by what advocates say is a deeply flawed and communal prosecution.

Pro-Palestine Protest Targets McDonald’s in Delhi

Indian People in Solidarity with Palestine (IPSP) held a protest outside McDonald’s in Delhi as part of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, accusing the chain of supporting the Israeli military. Protesters distributed pamphlets, displayed artworks, and called on Indians to reject companies complicit in the Gaza genocide.

Defender of the Week

 

This week, we’re spotlighting Father Stan Swamy (1937–2021) on the fourth anniversary of his death in custody. Father Stan Swamy was a Jesuit priest and tribal rights activist who for decades, stood with India’s most marginalized—Dalits, Adivasis, and the incarcerated—until his arrest in 2020 under draconian anti-terror laws. Despite advanced Parkinson’s, he was denied bail, proper care, and even a sipper in jail. He died on July 5, 2021, aged 84. His legacy lives on in the movements that continue to fight for dignity, justice, and the right to dissent.

Voices from the Ground 

“The Israeli genocide in Gaza continues unabated. In fact it is intensifying and assuming horrific new dimensions. A number of voices within Israel are beginning to speak out. The latest to express grave concern is a former PM of Israel himself. But the Govt. of India is supremely indifferent, not wanting to say or do anything that would affect the friendship of Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Modi. The PM’s silence is disgraceful, shameful, and goes against all that India has stood for.”

• Jairam Ramesh, Opposition Leader

IAMC in Action

• Mayor Eric Adams accepted an invitation to share a stage with prominent hate speaker Kajal Hindustani, so IAMC joined our coalition partners at Savera, as well as a diverse array of civil society organizations, in signing a letter pressuring Mayor Adams to withdraw from the event and apologize. Read the full letter here, and see our coalition statement following Mayor Adams’ withdrawal here. 
• Kajal Hindustani also visited North Carolina last weekend, so we collected signatures from prominent Muslim, Christian, and Hindu civil society groups and religious leaders to condemn the event. See the press release on it here. 
• We’re continuing to catalogue daily hate crimes against Muslims and other minorities in India on our social media. Follow us on X and Instagram to keep up to date on the situation. 

What to Watch Next Week

• The Savera coalition has begun releasing parts of our new zine, titled “Savera’s Guide to Recognizing Hindu Supremacy.” You can see the first part here – stay tuned next week for more! We will release new installments of the zine every week. 
• Our friends at CAIR National and CAIR Action are hosting a webinar on July 24 at 6 p.m. ET, which will give viewers tools for engaging lawmakers on civil rights, Gaza, the Muslim Ban, and more. The full toolkit will be available for download following the session. Register now at bit.ly/cairactionlive.